Downtown Auburn will host the Mardi Gras Parade and the Annual Krewe Krawl.
On Saturday, February 10, there was the sixth annual Krewe Krawl and the yearly Krewe De Tigris Mardi Gras parade. The procession commenced at 1 p.m., with the Krewe Krawl commencing at 11 a.m.
There was a new purple cup at this year’s Krewe Krawl. In addition to a $20 wristband, those who bought a purple cup could get complimentary samples at participating downtown eateries and bars.
The Hound, Jack Brown’s, Sessions, Moe’s Barbeque, and other places were among the venues.
“Today has been quite busy for the Krewe Krawl. The Hound’s chief hostess, Morgan Byars, stated, “We’ve had a lot of people with their purple cups going straight to the bar, which is nice to see that we’ve got it busy in here.”
Up until 6 p.m., those who had a wristband could also take advantage of food and shopping specials. People were swarming businesses, taking advantage of the discounts.
“Today has been fantastic for business and traffic. We’re giving the Krewe Krawl 20% off their whole purchase,” stated Wrapsody manager and keyholder Kim Mock. “We enjoy the steady business during the Krewe Krawl.”
Other establishments say that following the procession, the crowd grows even more.
Ellie Davis, store leader of Ellie Clothing, stated, “It’s been pretty busy, but normally after the parade is when everyone storms in to start shopping.” “You can receive 20% off your entire Krewe Krawl purchase if you have a wristband.”
Regarding the crowd waiting to shop till after the march, Davis was not incorrect. Most people were lining up in the streets in an attempt to secure a prime location for the procession. The streets were also dotted with refreshment tents and merchants. There were games at several of the booths for Krewe Krawl members to play.
“Today has been a pretty wonderful business day. It’s been a lot of fun seeing individuals attempt to finish our tasks, Stamp employee Lizzy Burgess said. After completing the challenges, Burgess was giving out sunglasses.
But when 1 p.m. approached, everyone’s attention was focused on the procession. The march started at South College Street and Thach Avenue and returned to Thach Avenue.
There were a lot of floats, musical performances, and of course, beads. Moon pies, candies, t-shirts, masks, and beads were tossed in addition to beads. The Auburn University gymnastics team, Miss Auburn, and Macon and Anthony Martin, the Mardi Gras king and queen, were among the other participants in the procession.
\The audience joined in the cheers and dancing with the parade participants. The colors purple, green, and gold were used to decorate Auburn.
“Today is going great here. We visited almost all of the stops on the Krewe Krawl that we completed earlier. We’re having a great time at the Krewe Krawl, which is our second time attending,” commented Nancy Palmer, a spectator during the procession. “All I can hope for is that the rain delays a bit more.”
The gathering persisted long after the march concluded, in spite of the dreary weather. People were still having a great time during the Mardi Gras celebrations, and stores and restaurants were packed.
